WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the Moose Sahara gear.

(1) Ventilation. The Sahara gear has six different types of vented panels. Each is designed to block roost, maintain strength and flow as much air as possible. Moose left no stone unturned in their quest for ventilation. Even the spaces in the logo, the leather knee protection and hip protection pads are perforated for ventilation.

(2) Jersey. The jersey has a tighter perforated pattern in the front, sleeves to block roost and a wider mesh on the sides. Two different materials are used on the back?a thicker, stronger material with very big openings and micro-mesh behind it.

(3) Pants. Making pants breathe is a challenge, because they also have to be strong and durable. At a distance, the Sahara pants don’t look all that special, but if you hold the Sahara’s nylon/polyester material up to the light, you can see right through it. As for the details, the knees are pre-bent, the high-wear areas (knee and rear) are reinforced, and there is triple stitching in the places that need it.

(4) Fit. One of the big changes for the 2012 model line was to make the pants’ waist a half-size larger. The Sahara pants are sized similar to street clothes, but if you wear a kidney belt, you may have to size up. There are sans-a-belt straps on the sides that offer two inches of adjustment. The thigh section is roomy but not too baggy. Although there is adequate room in the knees for knee guards, bulky knee braces may make things a bit tight. A stretch panel on the outside of the knee helps. (5) Comfort. We love the jersey’s large-diameter Lycra cuffs, but we don’t like the large-opening V-neck Lycra collar. Both were designed for ventilation, but V-necks have no business on motocross jerseys. They are a freeway to your underwear for roost. We love the absence of thick, rubber logos. Many modern pants have obtrusive hunks of rubber as decoration on the legs and rear. The Moose Sahara pants have a couple of quarter-sized dots on the knees. (6) Options. Sahara pants are available in even-number waist sizes, from 28 to 48 inches. The jersey comes in small to triple extra-large. The gear is available in blue, orange, red, stealth, yellow or red/white/blue.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? We love the pants and jersey, but we can do without the gloves. There are a lot of bothersome internal seams, the palm bunches up and the sizing is off. An XL Moose glove was more like a Large in other brands.These are five-star pants on a hot day, four-star pants on a spring day and three-star pants in the winter?but when the summer heat comes, the Sahara gear will really shine.

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WARNING: Much of the action de­pict­­ed in this magazine is potentially dan­gerous. Virtually all of the riders seen in our photos are experienced ex­­perts or professionals. Do not at­tempt to duplicate any stunts that are be­­yond your own capabilities. Always wear the appropriate safety gear.